Top Shelf Tuesday – L.A. Noire

by dsussmanMay 15, 2011 at 12:00PM
|
Views: 1,156

Tuesday's almost here, and you know what that means. It's time to hit the stores (or Amazon.com) and pick up some new releases. With our handy Top Shelf Tuesday guide, you'll know exactly what's getting folks excited this week.

Source: Rockstar Games/Team Bondi

Games

If you’ve been waiting for a long time for the next blockbuster video game, your wait is over. LA Noire hits stores on Tuesday and it’s from Rockstar games—the little geniuses behind Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption. Instead of gangbangers, prostitutes, and drug dealers, this game is all about detective work. Set in the ‘40s, you play as a rookie cop rising up the ranks of the LAPD. The big twist here is the new facial animation technology. It will make your jaw drop. No kidding. The faces are so realistic and lifelike that you’re actually able to tell whether a suspect is lying or not. Of course, this is a Rockstar game, so you also get all the gun play and vehicular mayhem their games are known for. Until someone creates a time machine, this is the closest you’re going to get to visiting the 1940s. It’s a classy game and plenty long, too. We highly recommend it.

Movies

Source: CBS Films

The Mechanic is an action-packed remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson classic of the same name. In it, Jason Statham plays a veteran hitman who teaches his trade to an apprentice (Ben Foster) who is actually the son of one of his previous victims. We’re not a huge fan of remakes, but this is honestly a solid action flick perfectly locked and loaded for any bro willing to take on the job. The DVD and Blu-ray feature a ton of goodies, including interviews with the cast and crew, deleted scenes, and the Tools of the Trade: Inside the Action Featurette. Get this now before The Mechanic finds you.

Music

Source: Parlophone

Rome is the forthcoming full-length LP put together by ace producer Danger Mouse and Italian composer Daniele Luppi. The new album took over five years to finish and was inspired by the music of Ennio Morricone from the classic spaghetti westerns directed by Sergio Leone. Rome was recorded using a wide array of vintage studio tools and also features work by some of the actual musicians who recorded a large number of the greatest spaghetti western soundtracks ever put down. The record also surprisingly showcases rad vocals by Jack White and the always-satisfying Norah Jones. This is basically the best soundtrack you could ever imagine. Do it.